Ten years after I was hired as the library media specialist at Jim Bridger Eighth Grade Center in Independence, a neighbor stopped by to chat with my husband, who was mowing the yard. "Guess you folks know that you're livin' on Bridger's old farm," he said. My husband rushed into the house to tell me, igniting a journey that included extensive research, trips to the Old West, new friendships, deep disappointments, and thrilling victories. The startling discovery that I lived on the former farm of my school's namesake fueled my interest in the mountain man who previously was of little interest to me.

I began researching his life, using books and the Internet to find information about this man who had walked on the same ground on which I was walking. As I learned about the intrepid frontiersman who guided more wagon trains out west than all the other scouts combined, I began wondering about his descendants. I discovered that three of his great-grandchildren were still living - one in Modesto, California, one in Belle Plaine, Kansas, and one in Columbus, Kansas.

I joined the Westport Historical Society and met their historian, Peggy Smith, another Bridger enthusiast. She told me that Bridger's granddaughter, Louise Lightle Wachsman, was buried in an unmarked grave at Mount St. Mary's Cemetery. With the support of my principal, G. W. Gelven, I initiated a fund-raising campaign with Bridger students that allowed us to dedicate Louise's headstone within a school year. This event whetted my appetite for more opportunities to educate the community about the unknown hero who had played such a key role in the Westward expansion.

Several years later, two groups of gifted students from Jim Bridger Eighth Grade Center raised $26,000 during a two year period to commission a statue of Jim Bridger by renowned sculptor, Tom Beard. The completed work (at the National Frontier Trails Museum in Independence) was unveiled by two of Bridger's great grandchildren at a reception held a few days before the Old Scout's 200th birthday.

I am now the library media specialist at Bishop Miege High School in Shawnee Mission, KS. My former history club members were part of the findagrave.com team. During my club sponsorship, the students adopted the children's section of Elmwood Cemetery in Kansas City. Once a month, they cleaned the area and raised funds to purchase headstones for children in unmarked graves (http://www.theleaven.com/past_issues/_pdf/v31/Leaven10-30-09.pdf).

Please notify me if any corrections or additions are needed for my entries.

RE: Columbus E. DunnNo I don't belive he is related its a long story he is the man who shot and killed the man who is supposed to be my Great Grandfather when accatully he is my Great great Uncle, But I digress I would love to talk to his family for information...

You have done a very nice job creating the memorials for my niece and nephew. I just found findagrave.com and had been doing research on my part of the family. I stumbled on Sam and Lindsey's memorials, Tina never told me that there already was one for Sam and Lindsey.

Sam and Lindsey's memorials should be linked together and then they linked to other family members who have passed which would be their granddad, and others moving backward from him.

I am one of Tina's half brothers. I'll talk to her about this. I'd like to see what we can do to link Sam and Lindsey to Tina's side of the family. Tina also has another sister who has also lost a child, they don't have a memorial as yet, I'll inform the family and see if they'd like to create one and link the children together.

Helia AndersonJudi, you have two memorials for Helia...53925205 and 53925206. Both indicate Helia is in Old Cooks Cemetery, Schoolcraft County! Mi.Helia is actually in Dickinson County Memorial Garden with her husband Alfred. A previous memorial 51274372 had been entered prior to yours.There have been NO internments in Old Cooks in YEARS.The photo you have appears to be the same stone Bill Schaffer has in Dickinson County.If you have additional information, I will make the60 mile trip to confirm for you since it sounds like you are not local. If no additional documentation, do you think you should delete the later two?Thanks for all you have done for Find A Grave.Elaine

Pending EditsJust wondered if you are aware of a fairly new Edit system that rolled out early this year? When you are signed into Find A Grave, on your Contributor page, you will see a new tab labeled Edits. If you have pending edits, that tab will display a number. Click on that tab, and choose from a variety of options. In your "Edits sent to me that I need to review", you should see edits for: Ruth Hucek, Doris Chaudoir, Bernard Chaudoir, Minerva Hucek. Again, just wondered if you were aware of this new system. Thanks for your help & all you do on Find A Grave!

Hallie RorrerThanks for linking the father. The spellings are different, I first noticed it on the census and then Hallie (Sr.) death certificate. I knew the Rorrer family growing up in MO. Thanks. Genealogist.